Amazon expands Alexa’s footprint with the Echo Dot and Tap voice-controlled devices

Amazon expands Alexa’s footprint with the Echo Dot and Tap voice-controlled devices

The Amazon Echo was something of a sleeper hit, especially for those who just couldn’t muster the strength to pick up the phone and order a pizza themselves. Amazon is now looking to build on the quiet success of Echo and its virtual assistant, Alexa, by making it possible to talk to Alexa on devices other than the Echo speaker. It has released two new devices – the Echo Dot, which lets you put Alexa onto another speaker, and the Tap, a portable Bluetooth speaker that will allow Alexa to accompany you on road trips.

The Amazon Echo Dot actually looks rather like a flattened Echo. It even has the same glowing blue ring around it to indicate when it’s listening, and an omni-directional microphone array at the top so you can snap orders at it from across the room.

You can connect the hockey puck-like device to your speakers using the included 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth, and the Dot will perform all the regular Echo functions like playing music and giving you the weather on command. However, the Echo Dot will still need to be tethered to a power outlet.

And while it may leverage your expensive speaker set to talk to you (Amazon hooked it up to a US$2,500 Bang & Olufsen speaker at its launch event), the Echo Dot still has a tiny speaker in it for use as an alarm clock or timer.

The Echo Dot is retailing now for US$89.99 on Amazon, but there’s one catch – you can’t actually buy it on Amazon’s site, and will have to order it through Alexa. In theory, this means that you can only order one if you already have an Echo or Fire TV, but reports have surfaced that it is possible to get one through Amazon’s iOS app or through this web link.

On the other hand, the Amazon Tap is a portable Bluetooth speaker that will let you literally put Alexa in your bag. It is comparable to the UE Boom 2 in size, with a similar cylindrical shape. Amazon is quoting up to nine hours of playback, or three weeks of standby time.

It features dual 1.5-inch drivers that support Dolby sound, but lacks the omni-directional microphone array on the Echo and Echo Dot. That makes sense since you’re likely going to be keeping it closer than the other two devices, but you’ll also have to manually activate Alexa by tapping a button (“always-on” functionality would drain the battery unnecessarily).

Naturally, the Tap also requires a Wi-Fi connection for Alexa to work, so you’ll need to turn on tethering on your smartphone when you’re out and about. We’re not quite sure that you’ll need Alexa to be at your next party or camping trip, but it’s not inconceivable that Echo fans will end up embracing the idea.

Pre-orders have already started for the Tap, which will cost US$129.99. Availability is slated for the end of March.

Source: Amazon